I'm as frustrated as you with this game, but can't fully agree with your line of thinking. I have a free mini account that actually finished both prestige and masters - and got both wrappers. How? I stared down the 24x3 event and came to the conclusion that the wrapper wasn't worth spending the energy I had saved up. This is only the second time that I went after an event - the other being the 3% health increase or whatever that was converted into health regen. All the others, I had saved for a rainy day as I figured that once in a blue moon, gree would do an event where it would be a no brainier. Unfortunately, the building time reduction was NOT a no brainier. In fact, unless you could do it for free (which I did wi my main account), made no sense to spend gold on - unless your account can't finish an LTB upgrade to ten within the time allowed. For many, we can justbarely finish in time, so it isn't needed. This game is all about trade offs, and that 24x3 building time reduction prize wasn't worth it.
And so you may ask whether I'm a leach that hoards and doesn't help the faction? No, I prestage every masters boss (helped a lot for the energy regen!) and as long as I'm awake, make sure I get my hit in. Same with prestige, but I often find that my team runs ahead of me while I'm asleep.
It's all about saving for a rainy day AND making the right choice of when to spend. As I noted above, have only completed two events total, which means I play for the team and then when I find that one boost that can't be passed up, I go for it.